Enabling Legislation

Enabling Legislation

The Brazos River Authority has its roots in changes to state law that began about 100
years ago. In 1917 the Texas Legislature and voters approved the Conservation Amendment to
the Texas Constitution (Article XVI, Section 59) declaring that the control, prevention,
and distribution of flood and storm waters became the duty of the state. All limitations which
had prevented local financing of flood control projects were removed. The amendment also allowed
the creation of districts to fulfill these conservation and reclamation duties. Please click
here
to see the amendment.

In 1929 the 41st Texas Legislature passed House Bill 197, which created the Brazos River
Conservation and Reclamation District under procedures set in the Conservation Amendment
12 years earlier. You can see the text of HB 197,
here.

Then, in 1953, the 53rd Legislature changed the district’s name to the Brazos River
Authority in House Bill 175, which can be read,
here.

After the beginning of the new millennium, state lawmakers voted to streamline legislation
pertaining to the BRA. In 2003 the 78th Legislature passed Senate Bill 1935, which codified
the BRA under the Texas Water Code under a newly created heading, Title 6 Surface Water
Authorities. The law also authorized the Texas governor to designate the BRA Board of
Directors’ presiding officer.

Then in 2007, the 80th Texas Legislature passed House Bill 3167, which moved the BRA
from the Water Code to the Special District Local Laws Code.

Today, you can find the current version of the BRA’s enabling legislation here.